“Booze cruise” to Germany still popular with Swedes

Swedes boost Scandlines’ business on the busy Trelleborg-Sassnitz line

In an effort to sidestep Sweden’s high alcohol taxes, thousands of Swedes are continuing to enjoy the ferry trip south from Trelleborg to Sassnitz in search of cheaper alcohol. Scandlines, for example, offers 19 sailings a week with its ferry Skåne. The Local contributor Patrick Reilly joins a small group of pensioners who catch the 07.45 sailing from Trelleborg. Travelling to Germany to stock up on alcohol has not lost its popularity among people from southern Sweden since the Berlin Wall came down. Scandlines employees tell the group that ferry bookings are higher than ever. Some Swedes even take their own empty bottles all the way to Germany to exchange for money.For the return journey to Sweden there’s a long line of cars waiting to drive aboard the ferry, with at least two crates of alcohol for every passenger.The Local[pictured: “The Beer Drinkers”, by Vincent Van Gogh]